How far out do you book?

[nydney1]

We have booked as far out as 14 months and as few as 45 days out.

 

I agree that you need a good TA or PVP, especially if you want a specific room. We had the Grand Scenic Oceanview on or last cruise and we have one booked for our next two Glory cruises. Thanks to the help of our PVP.

[Drose716]

I tend to book within 90 days. I love the feeling of having the cruise just on the horizon! My first I think was 4 or 5 months in advance. I was a teen & sailed with my best friend's family. I didn't know cruising yet to feel the suspense. My second was under 2 months out. The next 4 were within 90 days of sailing. I've only ever had insides & have little preference as to where my room is because I basically just sleep there so room selection is of little consideration to me.

 

My 7th is upcoming.... in 192 days :( This is my first time ever with early saver being an option. I originally booked with 207 days to sailing. I hate this! I finally understand the true need for these boards! I'm just dying for October & really it's only been 2 months since my last cruise! Its the anticipation that kills. I'm not sure I'd want to book so far out again. Thing is I took my kids out of school for 3 days for our January cruise & don't want to do so again this year. Summer prices, especially when flights came into consideration, didn't wow me at all. So that leaves October when they have Jewish holidays & will only moss 2 days. I am itching to book some kind of travel for this summer to tide me over!

[OCruisers]

Let's all keep in mind the OP is wanting a cruise in 2018.

[TerReuv]

I would call and talk to your pvp. They are able to choose rooms that don't show online.

 

Saying that we try to book at least a year in advance. We booked cruises for September 2016 and September 2017 in January.

 

This is exactly what I was going to say. Call and talk to a PVP. The website only shows 10 rooms at a time. Many more can and will be available. Especially for that far out.

 

We, too, book early. Booked our October 2017 cruise the 29th of February. Love that I already had two price drops bringing the cruise down about $75/pp. Since we are on the Lido deck, I know these prices won't go down for long.

[TerReuv]

Planning IS half the fun!! [emoji6]

 

So very true! I have two other regular vacations planned for this year (one in April & one in June) and our cruise for October 2017. Which vacation do you think I have been more interested in planning? Yep- the cruise. :D

[Mabks0412]

We went on the Magic December 2014, and booked our cruise for May 2016 shortly after. Just recently (In January) we booked a cruise for December 2017. We try to book far out so we know it's coming, we can tell our jobs, and if anyone wanted to come with us, they know in advanced.

[summersigh]

the trend I've noticed in the last year is that prices have been the best until around 6 months til sailing - then they've steadily risen.

 

if you book early with Early Saver you get a little more OBC with price drops after booking.

 

it looks like (to me) that these days it's no longer a matter of waiting until the last minute to try to catch a deal but of booking early for what you want.

[Drazil65]

Typically anywhere from 8 months to a year out, once in a while a little more than a year. DS is in middle school now (7th grade) and we try to stick with his school vacation schedule as close as possible (he has to make up all of his school work and homework if days missed and it makes it harder on him). This limits our choices somewhat but I still am able to get what I want for the most part.

 

Just some food for thought on missing school, your child is in kindergarten and missing a week in the lower grades will probably not affect their chances of getting into Harvard later in life :rolleyes:. You still have time with younger kids in elementary school to do what is best for your family for vacations at this point (quality family time when they are young lays a great foundation). Unless you have a child that really struggles in elementary school and cannot afford to even miss one day don't worry about it as much for now. It gets much harder later in the upper grades and more restrictive.

[youagain]

There are several requirements that move me to book a cruise. Dates are very important. Itinerary and ship( port is included with ship.). That being said our 1 st Carnival cruise was booked about 13 months in advance. We needed 2 balcony rooms side by side. Our 2 nd Carnival cruise was also booked about 16 months in advance. We needed 3 balconies and one handicap room.. Our 3 rd was booked 747 days in advance I wanted a Aft extended balcony room on a cruise ending Easter in March 2018. There were only a couple of premium balconies left about 2 weeks after I booked our Aft balcony so it was a good thing I booked when I did. If you want a certain premium sot after room on a high volume time of year you need to book early. Also we have 3 in our party it seems like most rooms I wanted only allowed 2 in the room. I also enjoy the anticipation as we only cruise about every 2 years. I love researching ports and hotels. We also usually take several days before or after cruise to explore other spots. In New Orleans we did Bourbon Street then Beale Street in Memphis on the way home. In Port Canaveral we stopped at the Space Center then rented condo for 3 days . In March 2018 we plan on St Louis Cardinals spring Training before our cruise. Sorry so long but wanted to explain why we take certain cruises at certain times. Hope you get the cabin you want!

[vwrestler171]

I booked Vista for Jan 2017, back in Feb 2015. Booked Conquest for Nov 2017 as soon as the itineraries were released. If I find a cruise that I want, I book it.

[h_blond2]

We usually book anywhere from 8-12 months ahead of the cruise. However, we already have the Fantasy booked for May of 2017...the wait is killing me!

[jtdlmc]

I usually booked 14-16 months out. I'm also looking at 2018 cruises now :) My son has never had issues with school after missing a week but this year in grade 9 he had a bit more difficulty so now we are also looking at a March break cruise. We are also in Ontario and know when March break is that far in advance. Other years I have noticed a huge difference in March compared to Feb and April but looking at 2018 all the weeks are priced pretty much the same give or take a few dollars. I'm waiting for a reduced deposit sale and then I think I will book as I don't want to fork out $1000 US two years in advance - the Canadian Resident rate is also really good right now.

[troublemaker256]

We have a total of 8 cruises booked between now and April 2018. We book that far out with reduced deposits sales and make small weekly pmts on them so as not to affect our limited budget.

 

 

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[tallnthensome]

I booked my 2018 cruise today and it's a way better deal than what Carnival has to offer. I say this with a 2017 booked on the vista.

[jayscore]

I try to book about a year in advance due to the fact that I'm what you call an "Aft Snob".:rolleyes:

There are only so many afts, aft wraps or vista suites to go around, and they sell quick! (Which also screws you out of any possible OBC later in those categories, being they're sold out.)

 

Just my two cents worth!;)

[Britt7670]

We booked a 2017 Eastern Caribbean halloween sailing on Glory earlier today. Best of all, we were able to snag the last remaining (6K) scenic grand ocean view cabin that everyone's been raving about!! Super excited ! :D

[cruizinisthebest]

3 cruises booked - done 10 months, 18 months, and 18 months in advance.

I love all of the planning, but 18 months out is far enough for me.

[tntbailey]

We booked about 14 months out for our Alaskan cruise but we wanted an aft balcony cabin and 3 of the 6 available were already sold at that time.

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[amypete]

Every two years we go with a large group of friends. We like aft balcony rooms....and booked 22 months out this last time! We have 8 or 9 couples that go so with early saver it works fine. Except that 500 day wait...we booked March 2015 for January 2017 but with our large group got all the rooms where we wanted them. Crazy.


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[cruiseonthebrain]

For us it all depends. If there is a ship/ itinery/ cabin we know we absolutely want then we book as soon as the schedule and rates are published. We have an Alaska trip coming up that was booked less than a year out because the exact cabin I wanted came open just when I happened to be checking- had to be fate right? Then we have spur of the moment cruises we book from our local port a few weeks out because we find that we are able to take last minute time off.

[Topo Gigio]

Up to a couple of days. Being in Florida make it a bit easier to jump very last minute on a ship.

[deborahjo]

Sometimes 18 months. We booked the Vista in February for next April.